Send Students on School Field Trips to Battlefields Your Gift Tripled! Utilizing some diversions, he marched his army down the western side of the river whileRear Adm. David Dixon Porterran his flotilla of gunboats and transports past the Confederate guns of Vicksburg. The First American President: Setting the Precedent, African Americans During the Revolutionary War, Save 42 Historic Acres at the Battle of Chancellorsville, Phase Three of Gaines Mill-Cold Harbor Saved Forever Campaign, An Unparalleled Preservation Opportunity at Gettysburg Battlefield, For Sale: Three Battlefield Tracts Spanning Three Wars, Preserve 128 Sacred Acres at Antietam and Shepherdstown. 3 Mississippi (Claiborne County), Port Gibson Battle of Port Gibson On May 1, 1863, Confederate forces under Brig. Port Gibson, ten miles east of Bruinsburg on the Little Bayou Pierre River, commanded the road network between Grand Gulf and Jackson and was Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grants first objective after crossing the Mississippi. On January 30, 1862, the Western Theater commander, General Henry Halleck, reluctantly approved Brigadier General Ulysses S. Grants request to attack Fort Henry, on the Tennessee River. The battle of Port Gibson cost Grant 131 killed, 719 wounded, and 25 missing out of 23,000 men engaged. In late April 1863, Union troops on the west bank advanced toward Vicksburg. Defending that border was difficult for the Confederacy because three major rivers (the Mississippi, which flows south to the Gulf of Mexico, and the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers, which flow north to the Ohio River) provided relatively easy access to the South. Gen. John Bowen clashed with elements of two Union corps commanded by Maj. Gen. U.S. Grant. Continue with Recommended Cookies. Sundown found the two sides settling into a stalemate along a broad front on the Rodney Road several miles from Port Gibson. This map depicts the opening battles in the Union campaign against Vicksburg, Mississippi, in May 1863. Port Gibson | May 1, 1863 (June 2020) American Battlefield Trust Port Gibson, ten miles east of Bruinsburg on the Little Bayou Pierre River, commanded the road network between Grand Gulf and Jackson and was Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's first objective after crossing the Mississippi. Subscribe to the American Battlefield Trust's quarterly email series of curated stories for the curious-minded sort! The Federal landing at Bruinsburg, Mississippi, on April 30, 1863, and the ensuing victory at the Battle of Port Gibson the next day, cemented a Union presence in western Mississippi that led to the eventual downfall of the Confederate stronghold of Vicksburg on the Mississippi River. Restoration of the site is in progress and the majority of the battlefield is privately owned. The American Battlefield Trust and our members have saved more than 56,000 acres in 25 states! If Union forces could gain control of the Mississippi, they could deny the Confederacy easy access to supplies from the Gulf of Mexico and territories in the American West. Gen. Martin E. Green was inspecting his picket line at the Shaifer House shortly after midnight when he was amused to see Mrs. Shaifer and the women of the house frantically loading a wagon with all their household items. The first strong point on the Mississippi was the Gibraltar of the Confederacy,Vicksburg. The federal soldiers clambered aboard the barges at Disharoons plantation on the Louisiana side of the river, crossed over, and disembarked at Bruinsburg on the Mississippi side. Show your pride in battlefield preservation by shopping in our store. Send Students on School Field Trips to Battlefields Your Gift Tripled! The Confederate right did not last long. As the Union forces came ashore, they secured a beachhead and began marching toward Port Gibson by late afternoon on April 30. Finding an unguarded landing at Bruinsburg, south of Grand Gulf, the Union launched the largest amphibious landing conducted by the U. S. Army until the Normandy Invasion on June 6, 1944. . The area is now largely wooded, with a scattering of non-historic houses and other buildings, mainly along Rodney Road which roughly bisects the battlefield. 17 (Dept. McPhersons Corps marched along Bruinsburg Road. It is an original segment of the Natchez Trace.. Reinforced by Brig. Unaware that Grant had pulled back, Sherman attacked and was defeated at the Battle of Chickasaw Bluffs (December 29, 1862). La.) Show your pride in battlefield preservation by shopping in our store. After a prolonged siege, Grant eventually forced Pemberton to surrender on July 4, 1863. The First American President: Setting the Precedent, African Americans During the Revolutionary War, Save 42 Historic Acres at the Battle of Chancellorsville, Phase Three of Gaines Mill-Cold Harbor Saved Forever Campaign, An Unparalleled Preservation Opportunity at Gettysburg Battlefield, For Sale: Three Battlefield Tracts Spanning Three Wars, Preserve 128 Sacred Acres at Antietam and Shepherdstown. The brigades of Brig. Federal efforts to push rapidly inland were slowed because McClernand had forgotten to issue rations to the men. Brig. Part of the battle was fought on the Bruinsburg Road at Point Lookout. May 1, 1863: Battle of Port Gibson. Meanwhile, Grant approached the city with the bulk of his army from the east, but Rebel cavalry cut his supply lines, forcing him to retreat before launching an assault. Five-and-one-half hours of shelling by Porters squadron failed to silence Fort Cobun, a Confederate artillery stronghold guarding the Mississippi River. After landing at Bruinsburg, Ulysses S. Grant . Bowen repulsed the Union navy at Grand Gulf, Major Gen. U.S. Grant landed his troops on the Louisiana side and marched them down river. To complete the river crossing, however, Grant needed the help of his naval forces. The Federal landing at Bruinsburg, Mississippi, on April 30, 1863, and the ensuing victory at the Battle of Port Gibson the next day, cemented a Union presence in western Mississippi that led to the eventual downfall of the Confederate stronghold of Vicksburg on the Mississippi River. At the onset of the American Civil War, the State of Tennessee comprised most of the northern border of the Confederate States of America in the West. The initial landing was unopposed, and Grant moved quickly to secure the beachhead, moving troops up the road toward Port Gibson. The women were terrified and, screaming with fright, leaped into the wagon and whipped the animals toward Port Gibson. The Union troops pushed forward all along the line, and fierce fighting continued throughout the afternoon. It lost 21 men. Join us July 13-16! Vicksburg, Mississippi, was one of only two places remaining in Confederate hands. With the aid of Admiral Porters gunboats, Grant attempted to move Major General John A. McClernands 13th Army Corps down the Mississippi River on transport barges and execute a landing on the east bank at Grand Gulf, at the juncture of the Mississippi and the Big Black River roughly thirty miles below Vicksburg. Sign up to receive the latest information on the American Battlefield Trust's efforts to blaze The Liberty Trail in South Carolina. Brig. Show your pride in battlefield preservation by shopping in our store. Grant launched his campaign against Vicksburg, Mississippi, in the spring of 1863, starting his army south from Milliken's Bend on the . The battlefield covers about 3,400 acre of land west of the city, astride Rodney Road, where Union Army forces were establishing a beachhead after crossing the . In December, Grant launched his first attempt to capture Vicksburg. Resounding Union victories at the Battle of Champion Hill (May 16) and the Battle of Big Black River Bridge (May 17), forced Pemberton to take refuge within the City of Vicksburg proper. The Majority of our funds go directly to Preservation and Education. Restoration of the sit is in progress and the majority of the battlefield is privately owned. Bowens thin line covered both the Rodney and Bruinsburg Roads. Canals were dug and abandoned. Despite heavy Rebel fire, Porter passed the city, losing only one ship. Admiral David Farragut captured the port city of New Orleans on May 18, 1862, closing down Confederate access to the Gulf. #2 Port Gibson Battlefield National Register of Historic Places Updated: 2020-05-09 The Port Gibson Battlefield is the site near Port Gibson, Mississippi where the 1863 Battle of Port Gibson was fought during the American Civil War. Sherman's feint against the Yazoo Bluffsthe Battle of Snyder's Bluffwas a complete success, and only a single Confederate brigade was detached south. An informative marker tells the story behind the mansion, including its demise. On the night of April 16, seven gunboats and three supply ships under the command of Rear Admiral David Dixon Porter ran the gauntlet of Confederate batteries along the river. As the situation deteriorated, Bowen wired his superiors: "We have been engaged in a furious battle ever since daylight; losses very heavy. The creators behind American History Central are historians, developers, and website specialists who have built multiple digital encyclopedias. The First American President: Setting the Precedent, African Americans During the Revolutionary War, Save 42 Historic Acres at the Battle of Chancellorsville, Phase Three of Gaines Mill-Cold Harbor Saved Forever Campaign, An Unparalleled Preservation Opportunity at Gettysburg Battlefield, For Sale: Three Battlefield Tracts Spanning Three Wars, Preserve 128 Sacred Acres at Antietam and Shepherdstown. With the aid of Admiral Porter's gunboats, Grant attempted to move Major General John A. McClernand's 13th Army Corps down the Mississippi River on transport barges and execute a landing on the east bank at Grand Gulf, located at the juncture of the Mississippi and the Big Black River roughly thirty miles below Vicksburg. We are open 9am-4pm. Please read ourPrivacy Policyregarding the use of cookies and visitor tracking. As Greens men scrambled to the rear, Brig. . Fighting in the scattered fields and forest around the Shaifer House intensified as more Union regiments and batteries came into action. Lieutenant General John C. Pemberton, commander of Confederate troops near Vicksburg, had roughly 30,000 soldiers under his authority. On April 22, six more boats made it through, bringing Grant the supplies he needed to launch his assault on Vicksburg. Grant launched his campaign against Vicksburg, Mississippi, in the spring of 1863, starting his army south from Milliken's Bend on the . The American Battlefield Trust and our members have saved more than 644 acres at Port Gibson Battlefield. The Shaifer House was the site of the opening shots in the Battle of Port Gibson. Port Gibson was the opening battle in a successful two-month-long Union campaign to capture Vicksburg, Mississippi, and take control of the Mississippi River. Stay up-to-date on our FREE educational resources & professional development opportunities, all designed to support your work teaching American history. Despite the reinforcements, Green was still heavily outnumbered, and at around 10:00 a.m., his line collapsed. At the onset of the American Civil War, the State of Tennessee comprised the majority of the northern border of the Confederate States of America in the West. During the winter, Grant made several unsuccessful attempts to approach Vicksburg from other directions. Green quickly mounted and raced back to Magnolia Church to alert his brigade. A desperate Confederate counterattack by Cockrells Missourians was repulsed and Bowen ordered a retreat. Please read ourPrivacy Policyregarding the use of cookies and visitor tracking. Gen. Edward Tracy was killed on the Confederate right. Port Gibson: Featured Resources Civil War | Video Vicksburg Campaign Civil War | Article 10 Facts: The Vicksburg Campaign Civil War | Biography James B. McPherson Only Champion's Hill, the biggest battle of the campaign, saw more Union losses. For the first time after seven attempts General Grant was able to establish a beachhead on dry soil on the same side of the Mississippi River as his foe. Gen. Martin E. Green's Brigade and took up a position astride the Rodney road just southwest of Port Gibson near Magnolia Church. The Union victory secured that beachhead and paved the way for the eventual fall of Vicksburg. After five and one-half hours of shelling by Porter's squadron failed to silence Fort Cobun, a Confederate artillery stronghold guarding the Mississippi River, Grant called an end to the Battle of Grand Gulf. Mine Run - Union Off. The 11th, 23rd, and 29th Wisconsin Infantry regiments and the 1st and 6th Wisconsin Light Artillery batteries participated in the assault on Port Gibson. Nothing seemed to work. The American Battlefield Trust and our members have saved more than 56,000 acres in 25 states! Within six weeks, Grant captured Fort Henry and Fort Donelson on the Cumberland River, establishing federal control of both waterways. On the Bruinsburg Road front, Osterhaus had been content to pressure Tracy's command with Federal sharpshooters and artillery, occasionally launching an unsupported regiment against the Confederate line. The women were terrified and, screaming with fright, leaped into the wagon and whipped the animals toward Port Gibson. The only Confederate cavalry in the area, Wirt Adams's regiment, had been ordered away to pursue Grierson's raiders, and Maj. Gen. John S. Bowen performed a reconnaissance in force to determine Grant's intentions. The Confederate force now retreated back towards Grand Gulf. The presence of the Natchez Road figured in the May 1, 1863 Battle of Port Gibson.In that battle, Union forces under General Ulysses S . Stay up-to-date on our FREE educational resources & professional development opportunities, all designed to support your work teaching American history. The men act nobly, but the odds are overpowering." Battle of Raymond: May 12 The action intensified on both roads at dawn as the Federals resumed their push toward Port Gibson. Inscription. Battle of Port Gibson - Grant's March Marker. See and touch history at Historic Sites, Museums and special events, Restore your historic home or property, get tax credits, renovation tips, This map depicts the opening battles in the Union campaign against Vicksburg, Mississippi, in May 1863. The battle began around midnight near the Shaifer House four miles west of town. The action intensified on both roads at dawn as the Federals resumed their push toward Port Gibson. This FREE annual event brings together educators from all over the world for sessions, lectures, and tours from leading experts. Having developed each other's positions, the opposing forces sat down and waited for daylight. He would march his army down the Louisiana side of the [] The Federals divided their forces and moved along two roughly parallel roads that converged near their objective, about ten miles to the east. The Union Army was led by Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, and was victorious. This victory not only secured his position on Mississippi soil, but enabled him to launch his campaign deeper into the interior of the state. The site is owned, operated, and funded by R.Squared Communications, LLC. If you would like to know more, please contact us. Grant's plan to detach McClernand to Banks would have to wait. The A. K. Shaifer House was the site of the opening shots in the Battle of Port Gibson. Grant launched his campaign against Vicksburg, Mississippi, in the spring of 1863, starting his army south from Milliken's Bend on the west side of the Mississippi River. The Confederate defeat resulted in their losing the ability to hold Mississippi and defend against an amphibious attack . . The A. K. Shaifer House was the site of the opening shots in the Battle of Port Gibson. The mesmerizing ruins are all that remain of what was once Mississippi's largest antebellum mansion. Donning a cloak to disguise his rank, he reviewed the front lines and quickly devised a turning movement that would render untenable the entire Confederate right flank. Soon after, Tracy was killed by a snipers bullet. Confederate units, outnumbered more than 3-to-1, made a fierce but vain defense of the town throughout the day. The only surviving historic structure is the Shaifer plantation house, which is where the battle began. This FREE annual event brings together educators from all over the world for sessions, lectures, and tours from leading experts. Every purchase supports the mission. The Port Gibson Battlefield is the site near Port Gibson, Mississippi where the 1863 Battle of Port Gibson was fought during the American Civil War. On March 29, 1863, he put part of his army to work constructing bridges, draining bayous and constructing a road past Vicksburg on the west side of the Mississippi. Night fighting such as this was rare in the Civil War as it was difficult to maintain command and control of the troops. On the night of May 1, 1863, 23,000 Union soldiers landed a few miles south of Vicksburg at Port Gibson, Mississippi. Every purchase supports the mission. Grant then returned his attention to Vicksburg. Mine Run - Union Off. A portion of the troops turned left following the road past Windsor, but the bulk turned right, coming to Bethel Church, and turning east here. [Wikimedia Commons]. Additionally, Confederate dead from the Battle of Port Gibson are buried in "Soldiers' Row" of Wintergreen Cemetery, located in the town of Port Gibson. Mine Run - Conf. 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